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Violence, recrimination and arrests after policeman's death in Glen View - Index of articles
Two weeks, no ruling yet on MDC members
Movement
for Democratic Change (MDC)
April
24, 2012
It is now two
weeks after High Court judge; Justice Chinembiri Bhunu reserved
judgment indefinitely on the application by 29 MDC members who are
seeking leave to appeal for their refusal of bail at the Supreme
Court.
The 29 members
are in remand prison after they were indicted for trial on false
charges of murdering a police officer in Glen View, Harare in
May 2011.
However, for two weeks
now Justice Bhunu has been sitting on his ruling of the bail application
by 29 members who want their matter to be heard before the Supreme
Court. The appeal to transfer the matter to the Supreme Court was
made after the same judge had refused them bail pending the start
of the trial.
What is worrying to the
MDC, the accused and their families is that some of the accused
have been in remand prison for to close to one year as the State
and the judiciary are refusing to grant them bail.
Because of the delay
in the delivery of justice and the continued incarceration of the
29, the MDC view this as well-orchestrated political persecution
and victimisation of the MDC and its members.
Of serious concern is
that last Friday, the same High Court granted a US$100 bail to the
Shamva police officer-in-charge, Inspector Aspias Shumba who is
facing a murder charge of killing a mine worker, Luxmore Chivambo
of Ashley Mine in March 2012.
Other Shamva police officers
facing similar charges were two weeks ago granted bail by the same
courts.
As the MDC, we demand
the immediate release of 29 of our members. We condemn the State
and the judiciary's maneuvers in continuing to imprison, persecute
and harass innocent and peace-loving Zimbabweans whose only crimes
are to be members of a political party that is fighting to bring
about democratisation to Zimbabwe.
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